Red Sox RHP Jenks on DL; Pedroia to see doctor

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NEW YORK
— Boston Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia is headed back to Boston on Thursday to have his sore right knee examined, and his status is uncertain.

It was the latest piece of bad news for the Red Sox on a painful day. Boston reliever Bobby Jenks was placed on the 15-day disabled list again Wednesday with tightness in his back and catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia was sent to the hospital because he was feeling sick.

Jenks left Tuesday night’s game against the New York Yankees after throwing only four pitches in the seventh inning and said it was a flare-up of an injury he had early in his career, though he didn’t think he would be sidelined long.

The right-hander had an MRI exam Wednesday and Boston put him on the DL before the 7:05 p.m. game.

Jenks was on the disabled list from May 2-30, missing 27 games with a strained right biceps. Since being activated, he had put together four scoreless outings.

The former White Sox closer has struggled in his first season with Boston, going 2-2 with a 6.57 ERA in 15 appearances. He has 11 walks and 14 strikeouts in 12 1-3 innings, and opponents are batting .340 against him.

Jenks signed a $12 million, two-year contract in the offseason to be Jonathan Papelbon’s setup man.

Boston recalled catcher Luis Exposito from Triple-A Pawtucket to provide insurance behind the plate. Saltalamacchia began feeling ill Wednesday and was sent to the hospital to make sure he has nothing more than the flu, manager Terry Francona said.

“They ruled out anything besides intestinal turmoil, which is good news,” Francona said after his team’s 11-6 victory over the Yankees. “He might have had food poisoning. He was just good, old-fashioned sick.”

Jason Varitek started behind the plate, teamed with knuckleballer Tim Wakefield for the first time since 2005. Varitek has caught Wakefield in relief outings during that span, but the Red Sox captain had not started a game with Wakefield on the mound in six years.

Boston shortstop Jed Lowrie also had an MRI on his sore left shoulder. It came back clean and he should play Thursday night against CC Sabathia, Francona said.

“We’ve got a lot going on right now,” the manager said before the game. “We’re kind of scrambling here a little bit.”

Marco Scutaro started at shortstop Wednesday for the second consecutive game. Scutaro was activated from the disabled list Tuesday after missing 26 games with a strained muscle on his left side.

Francona also said left-hander Franklin Morales “did really well” in a 35-pitch side session Monday and was slated to throw again Wednesday. He could start a minor league rehab assignment soon.

Morales, acquired last month from Colorado, is on the DL with a strained left forearm.